Type-distributer



- 5l SheetsSvheet 1,

(No Model.)

J. L. MCMILLAN. TYPE DISTRIBUTER.

Patented Deo. 1,1891.I

(No Model.) I v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2; J. GMILLAN. TY STRIBUTBR.

1115. 464,163. "Patented Deo. 1, 1891.

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(No Model.) 5 sheetssheen a.

J. 1.. 1101111.11111. TYPE DISTRIBUTER.

No. 464,163. 1 f 1Pa1-.en1ea*Dec.1, 1891.

(NoModel.) 4 5 Sheets--Sheetx J. L. MGMILLAN.

TYPE DISTRIBUTBR No. 464,163. Patented Deo. 1, 1891.

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uns co., uom-1.11110.. maremma, u. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. L. MGMILLAN.

TYPE DISTRIBUTER.

No. 464,163. A Patented Dec. 1,1891.

UNiTED STATES ATEENT OFFICE.

JOHN LOUDON MCMILLAN, OF 1L IoN,NEw YORK.

TYPE-DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,163, dated December 1, 1891. y

Application filed March 31, 1888. Serial No. 269,154. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LOUDON MOMIL- LAN, of Ilion, in the county of' Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Distributers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to type-distributing machines of the character set forth in Letters Patent No. 347,627, granted to me August 17, 1886, to which reference may be had for any matters vnot herein set forth.

Some of the features hereinafter set forth and claimed are in the nature of improvements upon the construction set forth in my aforesaid patent, and others are alternative constructions devised by me prior tothe app plication for said patent and demonstrated by practical'tests to beof advantage.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a portion of my machine; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are views illustrating various features and details hereinafter explained; Fig. 11, a vertical Sectional View of a part of the machine; Fig. l2, a sectional view of the spindle, step, or bearing; Figs. 13 and 14, views illustrating different but equivalent forms of mechanism for retracting and returning to place the sections of the encircling hoop or band` through which the type are ejected; Fig. l5, a perspective view of one of the sector-blocks provided with removable cam-plates 1V.

The distributor comprises a Wheel rotating in a horizontal plane, a hoop or ring encircling said wheel, and guards, fingers, or Wards, either fixed or movable, to control the passage of individual types from channels in vone of said parts to channels, passages, or spaces in the other, as will be better understood upon reference to said parts in the drawings, in whichv A indicates a strong frame, the legs of which are sufficiently spread to afford due stability, and in which is mounted a vertical shaft or spindle B, which carries at or near its upper end the wheel or disk C. The spin# die B has a longbearing in the frame A,

- which insures its running perfectly true, and

is screwed through a crossbar of frame A, p

and is held against accidental turning by means of a jam-nut h. The cup D serves to hold a quantity of' oil or lubricant sufficient to last for a considerable length of time, thereby insuring theA free turning of the spindle therein, and it further serves to collect any oil which may flow down the spindle fromits bearing in the' upper part of frame A.

E indicates a worm gear-Wheel encircling spindle B,and caused to turn therewith through the interposition of a spline or feather c, which permits a vertical adjustment of the worm gear-wheel if at any time required. Said wheel may be secured at its proper adjustment either by tightening the key or feather or by means of a set-screw, though such adof frame A, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or other- Wise supported thereon, and which is for'med with an annular outer band or hoop H, upon which or upon a band I, secured thereto, rests the outer edge of wheel or disk C. The band I is to be used only in case the machine be made with movable selecting pins, wards, or fingers, and when used is'furnished with camgrooves to receive pins or studs d, projecting from blocks J and K, upon which such. selecting pins, Wards, or fingers e and f are i formed or by which they are carriedgThe construction and operation of such movable wards or fingers having been explained in ldetail/in my former patent, it is unnecessary to repeat the description here; but it is to be and replacement ofthe blocksJ and K, and is quite important for that reason. The blocks J and K play in seats cut for them in the pe- IOO riphery of the disk or wheel, their position being either vertical or approximately so, according to the formation of the disk or wheel C, which may be either horizontal or inclined on its upper face, lthe drawings representing it inclined, as in practice is preferred, for reasons set forth in my prior patent.

Encircling the hoop or band H and wheel or disk C is a hoop or ring L, formed with passages g, registering with channels 71formed in the wheel or disk C, the passages and channels being either radial to the axis of the wheel or tangential to a circle concentric with said axis, and which circle may vary considerably in size, though advisably not exceedinga radius of three or four inches. The number of passages gin the outer hoop or ring L may be thev same as or greater or less than that of the channels h, preferably greater, the capacity of the machine being increased*proportionately with every increase in the number of such passages.

Thewheel C is designed to carry in its channels the lin-es of type tobe distributed, though, as explained in my former patent, the arrange- `men-t may be reversed, andinstead of the'ty pe being ejected from said channels h into the passages g they may be delivered from the passages g into the channels h, but not to so great advantage.

The mouthsof the passages and channels are'guarded by selecting pins, wards, or iingers @and f, which may be carried by the movable blocks J K, or'may be ixed in position at the mouths of the receiving passage or channels, and the form of which may vary considerably. In practice I prefer to employ fixed guards of the form/illustrated in Fig. t-that is to say, consisting ot' thin projecting lips or Wards e f, projecting from one of the side walls of the passage or the channel, those -for each channel designed for typeof a given letter or character being arranged in a diierent position or different relation vfrom thosedesigned for a type of any other letter or character, as is well understood and usual in this class of machines.

To facilitate the entrance of the type into the passages, channels, or spaces thus guarded and to prolong the period lof time during which the passage from the containing to the receiving channel may take place, I cutaway the wall of the receiving-channel at the forward o-r receiving end at that side from which thetype approaches it under the travel of the Wheel or disk; or, in other words, I round oft or bevel that corner of the side- Wall, as clearly indicated in Fig. Li, and I similarly cu-t away, round oft, or bevel the lips or wardsA e and f, as shown in the saine figure. The consequence of this construction is that the typev begins to leave the containing-channel before said channel comes into alignment with the receiving passage or channel, and is entirely ejected by the time such alignment occurs, if not before, and the danger vof cutting, shearing, or marrin g the type is greatly lessened. The outer hoop or band L is formed in separate sections, each 'of which is independently supported and movable from and toward wheel or disk C, the purpose of such adjustment being to give ready access to the opposing mouths of the channels and passages and to the guards or wards thereof. It is desirable to provide for such movement of the sections of band or hoop L without disturbance orremoval of the type-receiving cases M, when such are used, and hence I connect the rear or outer supports N, upon which the cases M rest, by rods O with the sections of hoop or band L, and move them together, thereby preserving the relation ofthe sections, the supports, and the cases.

The construction and arrangement of these parts will be readily understood upon referring to Figs. l and 2, i-n.- which is shown aseries of bars P, each extending from the hoop or ring H ot' the spider and having its inner end screwed or otherwise secured ina socket in said hoop or band., These bars are connected by one or more bridge pieces or-plates Q and are supported at their outer ends by braces R, seated at their lower ends insock-v ets inv frame' A. The plates or pieces Q are formed with tubular guides t', through which pass the rods O, which connect the sections of hoop or ring-L and the outer case-supports N, these guides serving to direct the movement of said parts and, insure their return exactly to position. The outer case-supports N rest and move upon the bars P,which, will be of such width as to allow duemovement of the outer supporting-bars N upon them without danger of dropping therefrom. Screwed into or otherwise made fast to each section of the hoop orv ring Lis a stud j, into which is screwed the threaded end of an axle pin or bolt 7o, upon which is mountedan antifriction roller l. Pivoted toeac-h of the plates or bridge-pieces Q- isa hand-lever S, having its'inner end enlarged and' formed with aslot m eccentric to the pivot about which the lever moves, as shownv in. Fig. l, said slot being designed to receive the anti-friction rol-ler Z of the section of the hoop to which the lever belongs. The outer end of the slot is4 made concentric with the pi-votvof the lever for a short distance, in order that there may be no tendency or possibilityl ot' the hoop-section moving outward when the lever is thrown to bring that end of the slot opposite the roller, in which position the parts usually remain. Vheuever for any reason, it becomes desirable to have access to the space between the wheel or diskand the encircling hoop r ring at any point, the section of the hoop Within which such point is embraced is drawn back or outward byits lever, the necessary inspection, adjustment, or repair is made, and the section is returned to place. This is a feature of very considerable importance,v because it enables the attendant to rearrange the wards orl guards or to substituteothers, if desired, to remove particles of foreign mat- IOO IIO

withdrawing and returning the hoop or ring sections, and that the lever may be arranged to work vertically, as shown in Fig. 13, instead of horizontally, or in any other-plane desired. A screw of quick pitch, such as indicated in Fig. 14, may be mentioned as a well-known equivalent of .the lever for this purpose.

Having now explained the general construction and arrangement of the parts, a detailed description -of the type-wheel or distributingdisk will be given, many of the features of novelty residing therein. As explained in my former patent, the channels or grooves h may be cut in the solid body of a disk or wheel, or may be formed by securing to the face of the disk a series of blocks or bars C',

of metal or other suitable material, of such form and .of such distances apart as to produce a series .of intermediate channels h of the required width. In practice I prefer to adopt this latter plan because ofthe greaterA ease and simplicity of manufacture, the fan cility it affords of access to the walls of the grooves, and for like practical reasons. In whatever lnanner formed, the upper edge or angle of one wall of each groove` is cut away, forming an inclined face or bevel n, as shown in Fig. 5, the purpose of which is to facilitate the'introduction of a line of type into the groove or channel. The line of type to be thus introduced has its side face laid upon the bevel face n, while its lower edge, formed by the heels of the type, comes against the upright opposite wall of the channel or groove, thereby preventing the individual types from falling out of line. VThe line of type previously inclined from a'vertical position is then straightened up to a vertical plane and dropped into the groove. The bevel n of the face thus insures the straightening of the line of type and greatly facilitates its entrance into the groove, enabling the attendant to do with ease,expedition, and certainty what would otherwise require considerable time and be attended with difficulty.

In my former patent I illustrated and described springs working through slots in the bottoms of the grooves to advance the type and their followers; but instead thereof AI now employ coiledk or helical wire springs T, which are seated in grooves o, formed in the upright sidefaces of the channels h, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The springs T bear at one end against a follower U, which in turn bears against the rear end of the line of type in the channel and at the other end against a fixed stop V, which may be a slug or block extending from the central boss or hub of wheel C to and slightly into the rear end of the chainnel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or any equivalent iilling-piece at the rear end of the channel. By merely lifting the slug or block'V from its place the spring T and the ,follower Uare made free tol be withdrawn from their channel, which is sometimes desirable or necessary. and is formed witha longitudinal ribp on one or both sides of a form t'o-flt and freely travel in the grooves 0, in which the spring T is seated. One of the ribs p is cut away a short distance from the forward end of the follower, as shown in Fig. 9, andthe groove 0', in which it travels, terminates a short distance from the outer end of the channel-Wall, as shown in Fig. 6, thus forming a shoulder or stop, against which the forward end of rib p abuts when the follower has advanced the prescribed distance. inwardly-projecting strips q serve to hold or to force back the type while the channels are passingfrom one point to another at certainparts `of their travel, as in my former machine.V

In my former patentI showed and described inclined block or cams between the outer ends of the channels to force outward the type liberated from said channels; bu-t, as there represented, these blocks were narrow and bore only at one point 'upon the type-at or about their mid-length. Such arrangement, though giving good results on the whole, was liable to objection, because admitting ofthe possibility of a type being thrown forward at one end more than at the other, in which case it would be liable to become cut or broken. I therefore prefer to employ a wide-faced block, or, more properly, a double block or cam W, since its face is divided into an upper and a lower part by a slot fr, formed for the passage of the strips q. These blocks bear upon the type aboverand below their midlength, and not only prevent tipping thereof, but eifectually exclude broken type or` other foreign matters from between the feeling points or wards ef when these are made movable, as set-forth in my former patent.

These blocks W may be made separate ,and`

secured in any convenient manner to the wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 15, or to the sectors C thereof, or they may be integral with the wheel or the sectors, as found convenient, this latter construction being illustrated in Fig. 6.

Under the construction above set forth, the cam ring or hoop I being inside instead of outside of the Vblocks J K,it is necessary, or at least advisable, to makeprovision for holding said blocks in place even when the hoopsections L are drawn away, and for this pur-A pose I employ a guide-pin X, ther shank or stem of which passes through a hole in the overhanging end of the block J and enters a The follower is represented in Fig. 9,

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socket in the block K,asshown in Fig. 7.

Vthe details of construction may be varied more'or less. rlhus,for instance, instead of .the blocks or filling-pieces behind the springs in the channels h avertical'ly-sliding plate seated in grooves maybe employed, and instead of making the follower With acontinuous rib or ribs, studs or short sectional ribs may be formed thereon. It Will also benoted .that the beveling or cutting away of the npper edge or angle of one- Wall of the containing-type channel is a feature applicable to all such channels, Whether in a rotary, reciproycati-ng, oscillating, or stationary containingtbody.,

The sameis true as to theI Wards or guardsy herein described. In some cases I provide. one, or both sides of the follower with a spring or springs s toI produce slight friction.

Havingthns described m y invention, what Ii @f1-aim isfl. In combinationwith amainframeA, spindele B, mounted therein, and Wheel or disk C, carried by said spindle, andspider G, mounted upon f ralne A and having a band or hoop Il extending beneath 'thev Wheel or disk near its outerv edge and serving to sustain the same.

2.v In combination with a channeled Wheell or disk, an encircling hOOp or band made in` sections, saidv sections being independently movable from andtoward the Wheel.

3. In a type-distributin g machine, the combination of a ch-anneled rotary disk orvvheel, an encircling channeledhoop or band composedof independent sections, and levers or the respective sections and serving to move them from and toward the disk or Wheel.

4. Incombination with Wheel or disk C, hoop or band L,compos ed of independentsections having studs c,bars P, bridge-pieces Q, connecting said bars and provided with tubular guides e', rods O, connected withy the4 sec, tions of hoop L, and levers S, pivoted to the bridgefpieces Q and having eccentric slots fm,

to' receive the studs 7c, alll substantially asdescribed and shown.

5t. In combinationwith a distributing wheel' or disk and with a sectional receiving hoop` or band encircling said Wheel, guides for the several sections adapted to sustain them dur-y i-ng their movements toward and from the disk and to. insure their return to the precise position required. i

6. I ncombination With a distributing-Wheel and a sectional receiving hoop or band, guides adapted to support and direct the sections. while being moved, and levers, one for each and effect the recession and advance of the section.,v

S. In combination with a distrib uting-wheel and with a segmental receivingsecti0n having a stud or roller, a lever provided with a slot eccentric tothe pivot of the lever through most of its length but concentric therewith at its outer end,whereby it is adapted to move the segment back and forth and to lock it in place.

9. In combination with a distributing-Wheel andan encircling receiving-hoop composed of segmental sections, rods connected with said sections, rests or supports carried by saidrods, and receiving type-cases extending from said rests or supports to thel eglllental sections, substantially as. described 'and shown.

l0. InA combination with frame A, spindle 1B, and Wheel or disk C, spider G,provided With. ring 0r been H1 bars P, secured at their inner ends to said ring or-hoop, bridge pieces or plates Q, connecting said bars andA pro-v videdgWi/th gnidesnhoopor ringl L,comp0sed of independent. sections, each having afstud `or rollenrods. O, extending from the hoop- `SCtOl.. through the guides t, caseslipports N,carried .by said rods, cases M, extending from. supportsN to ring-sectionsL,y and levers S, pivoted to bridge-pieces Q,v and connected with they hoop-sections, all substantially as described andv shown.

1l. In a type-distributing machine, a wheel y' provided with a series of blocks or barsarranged at short distancesapart and With their proximate faces parallel, each block having y one of its upper edges beveled, substantially I as shown. theirdescribed equivalents connected with 1 2. In a type-.distributing machinea typecontaining Wheel consstingof a diskl and a series of sector-blocks,secured upon said disk `with their proximate faces parallel and at i proper distance apartto admit a line of type between them, said blocks having their opposing faces grooved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In combination With wheel or disk C,.- l having acentral hub or boss and channels h,

springs T, seated in said channels, and filling blocks or slugs V, extending from the hub or boss of the Wheel into said channels.

14. The Wheel or disk C, provided with a central hub or boss and a channeled body,

. the channeled portion andthe hub being separated by an openspace, through which the followers and springs 4may be introduced or Y Withdrawn.

15. In combination With- Wheel C, having channels 7i, provided with' longitudinal grooves in their side Walls, and with a stopshoulder near the forward endof the channel, a follower seated in said channel and provided with a stop-shoulder to engage with that of the groove.

16. In combination with Wheel or body C,

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provided with ribs or proj ections p, the groove of one wall being terminateda short distance from the outer end of the channel, and the rib p, which works in said groove, being cut away at the forward end of the follower, substantially as shown and described.

17. In combination with a containing-body and a receiving -body, both provided with type-channels and adapted to be moved one past the other, inclined blocks or cams projecting outward between the ends of the containing-channels and adapted to bear against the type expelled therefrom, both aboveand below the mid-length of said type.

, 18. In combination with wheel or disk C,4

having channels 7L, and with encircling hoop L, having passages g, inclined blocks or cams YV, having a broad bearing-face to prevent the tipping of a type while pressed by said block.

19. In combination with wheel or disk C, having channels h, and with hoop or ring L,

having passages g, detachable cam or block W, located between the channels, subst-antially as shown. v

20. The combination of a containing-body and a receiving-body, both provided with type channels or passages, each receiving-passage having the corner of its mouth cut away on the side from which thetype approach it, and

fixed guards at said mouth also rounded or cut JOHN LOUDON MCMILLAN.

Witnesses:

E. MCCLELLN, JOHN A; GIBLIN. 

